Hair dryer with one finger head release

ABSTRACT

A portable hair dryer of the hard hat type, having a head assembly which is pivotally mounted on a head support assembly, is provided with a novel, one-finger head lock release feature by which the head assembly is unlocked from the operating configuration for pivotal movement. The one-finger lock release feature simultaneously unlocks detents at both sides of the head support element, thereby eliminating any twisting at the hinge connecting the head and head support element. In a preferred embodiment, only two movable parts are required for the release mechanism.

Iltiited States Patent [191 Landis et al.

[ Feb. 12, 11974 IIAIR DRYER WITH ONE FINGER HEAD RELEASE Inventors: Earle I-I. Landis, Leola; Frank W.

Bostick, Lancaster, both of Pa.

Schick Incorporated, Lancaster, Pa.

Feb. 20, 1973 Assignee:

Filed:

App]. No.:

US. Cl 34/99, 34/239, 292/19, 292/53 Int. Cl A45d 20/24, E05c 3/06 Field of Search 34/90, 91, 96-101, 34/239; 292/19, 53

i I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Ryckman, .lr 34/99 3,479,075 1l/l969 Swanno 292/19 Primary Examiner-John J. Camby Assistant Examiner-James C. Yeung 5 7 ABSTRACT In a preferred embodiment, only two movable parts are required for the release mechanism.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures atented Feb. 12, 1974 I 3,791,045

' HAIR DRYER WITH ONE FINGER HEAD RELEASE This invention relates to hair dryers, and, in particular, to portable hair dryers of the so-called hard hat type.

Portable hair dryers of the hard hat type are in widespread use, and several types of hard hat dryers have been proposed in which the hard hat is adapted to be moved between an operating configuration and a storage configuration in which the dryer head assembly mates with and is secured to a base portion, with the head support assembly positioned therebetween in some manner.

Various systems have been proposed for positioning the head support element in operation configuration,

and various systems have been proposed for attaching the hard hat to the head support element. Needless to say, such dryers include some means for heating and moving air upwardly through the head support element and into a plenum in thehead assembly adapted for distributing, directing and discharging air toward the head of the user positioned at least partially within the head assembly.

One system for attaching the head-support element to the head has been to pivotally connect these members by means of a hinge, and provide some means for locking the head in a desired operating configuration.

An example of such a pivoting and locking arrangement is shown in the dryer illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,138 to R.C. Fuchs et al., issued Mar. 31, 1970. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 thereof, the locking mechanism includes a pair of respective bolts mounted for movement back andforth along a line parallel to the axis of the hinge pivot line between the head and'head support assemblies, wherein the bolts are individually and separately operatedby buttons extending through respective walls of the head support element. It is apparant that when the dryer head assembly is in operating configuration, it will extend in a somewhat horizontal direction away from the head support element. This necessarily and inherently causes gravity-induced forces to be exerted onthe hinge and lock mechanism. As long as both laterally extending bolts engage the head mechanism, the gravity-induced pivoting forces are uniformly distributed along the hinge, on the rivets or other fastening means by which the hinge is attached to the head support element and to the dryer head. Likewise, these forces are evenly distributed between the locking bolts. In this regard, it is noteworthy that it is highly desirable that portable hair dryers be as light as possible, not only for the purpose of making them more easily carried by the user, but also for the purpose of minimizing the gravity-induced pivoting forces at the hinge region. Thus. such dryers are desirably manufactured from strong relatively lightweight plastic materials although the hinges andlocking bolts are typically made from metal. Nonetheless, the metal hinges are fastened .by rivets or the like to head and head support assemblies which are typically plastic. Thus, any release of-the'lock bolt mechanism of such a dryer at only one side of the headelement while such a dryer is in operating configuration will necessarily cause that side of the headassembly to shift downwardly to some degree, causing an uneven application of the gravity-induced forces along'the hinge, and with respect to the rivets or other means by which the hinge is attached to the respective head and head support element. Needless to say, any additional forces applied, such as, for example, by the hand of the user who is impatient to pivot the head into the nested position, are absorbed, to a great extent, by the hinge and the rivets by which the hinge is attached to the plastic material. Thus, in this notuncommon condition in which the lock bolt on one side of the head support element remains in locked position, and the lock bolt on the other side of the head support element is in unlocked position, the hinge portion of the portable hair dryer is vulnerable to damage, and can be subjected to the type of flexing, jerking or wrenching which, in the long run, causes excessive wear and fatigue-induced failure.

Moreover, some hard hat hair dryers have relatively wide head support elements for the purpose of providing a relatively large passageway through which air can 'be moved for distribution to the head member. In some types of the heretofore common double-release double-bolt systems, it was necessary for the user to extend the fingers completely around the wide dimension of the head support element to push the button on one side of the head support element while reaching around the other side of the head support element-with the thum for release of the other button. Some users having relatively small hands find this to berelatively awkward, and these users are particularly likely to depress one button at a time, thereby virtually assuring that the gravity-induced forces referred to above would be unevenly exerted upon the rivets and hinge mechanism, as described hereinbefore.

Also, because of the desirability of providing a boltlock mechanism at both sides of the head support element, it has been heretofore regarded as necessary to provide a pair of identical bolt-retaining and releasing systems, one on either side of the head support element.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bolt-release mechanism by which a pivotal element pivotally mounted on a support member can be released for pivotal movement by finger-actuation of a single element.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a hair dryer of the hard hat type with a single finger release latch whereby oppositely directed locking bolts extending between opposing portions of the dryer headand head support element aresimultaneously r'etracted thereby .virtually eliminating uneven application of gravity-induced or other forces to the hinge portion of the dryer. 1

It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable dryer of the hard hat type in which the head is locked in a-desired operating position and in which the locking system is instantaneously and simultaneously released by movement of a single controller.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hard hat dryer of the type referred to immediately above inwhich the latch mechanism is of greatly simplified construction, requiring few moving parts.

These and other objects, which will be apparent hereinafter, are all achieved in accordance with the present invention which is described in general hereinafter, and in connection with a particularly preferred embodiment, with the aid ofthe accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hard hat dryer of the present invention shown in operating configuration.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional fragmentary view taken approximately along the line 2-2 of- FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional fragmentary view taken approximately along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

An improved hard hat dryer of the present invention is generally indicated by the numeral and includes a base 12, a vertically extending collar 14, a vertically extending retractable portion 16 of the head support element, generally 18, a pivotal portion 20 of head support 18. Pivotal portion 20 is pivotally mounted to lower portion 16 by hinge 22 along the rear side thereof, and is maintained at the desired angular orientation with respect to the lower portion 16 by the abuttment of adjacent edges 24, 26 of head support element 18. Dryer head assembly 28 is pivotally mounted on head support element 18 by hinge, generally indicated by the numeral 30 (see FIG. 3). The head is secured in the desired operating configuration shown in FIG. 1 by means of latch mechanism generally indicated by the numeral 32 (see FIG. 2) and the latch mechanism 32 is releasable by movement of the control button 36 positioned in the middle of the rear wall 38 of the pivotal portion 20 of the head support element 18.

It is apparant from a consideration of FIG. 1 that the head support element 18 has an upwardly curving end portion 40 having a relatively elongated front wall 42 and a curvilinear shallow outer wall 44. Hinge 30 is secured to the end of inner wall 42 of the head support element 18 as well as to the perforated inner wall 46 of the head support element and the imperforate outer wall 48 of the head assembly 28 abutts against a mating portion of head support wall 44. Mating opposing edges 50, 52 of the curved end portion 40 and head assembly 28, respectively, meet and abutt when the head is locked in operating configuration, thereby defining a continuous passageway or plenum 56 through which air can be moved from head support element 18 into the air-distributing interior of head assembly 22.

Extending through side walls 58, 60 of end 40 are respective locking bolts 62, 64, respectively. In FIG. 2, the position of bolts 62, 64 is shown in solid lines in the locked" configuration, and the position of bolts 62, 64 in broken line shows the moved position in which the lock mechanism is in the release" configuration.

Bolts 62, 64 reside in respective recesses 66, 68, respectively, in the bottom wall 70 of head mounting assembly 28.

Side walls 58, 60 of mating end 40 of head support element 18 have outwardly facing surfaces 72, 74 which are parallel with and positioned opposite and closely adjacent to opposite surfaces 76, 78, respectively, in head assembly 28. It is noted that recesses 66, 68 are aligned with openings 80, 82 in walls 58, 60 when the head 28 is in desired operating configuration, permitting bolts 62, 64 to pass through openings 82 and reside, in part, in respective recesses 66, 68, thereby immobilizing the head 28 with respect to head support element 18. Respective bolts 62, 64 are shown, in the illustrated embodiment, as being substantially cylindrical, and openings 80, 82 are also shown as being annular. However, it is not essential that these configurations be employed, although it is most desirable that the bolts be closely but slidably received within respective openings and lock recesses. Sufficient clearance must be provided for bolts 62, 64 to travel in the inherent slightly arcuate path.

Respective bolts 62, 64 are secured at the inner ends thereof to respective bolt support arms 84, 86 which extend downwardly adjacent respective side walls 58, for a distance. Bolt support arms 84, 86 are integral with central bridging portion 88. It is noted that in the at-rest or locked configuration shown in FIG. 2 in solid line, the middle bridging portion has a generally upwardly curving configuration in the middle thereof, and forms acute angles at the respective juncure 92, 94 between bridging portion 88 and respective bolt support arms 84, 86. The configuration of spring 90 from which bolt support arms 84, 86 and integral middle portion 88 is made, closely approximates the relaxed configuration. It is apparant from a consideration of FIG. 2 that the arcuate configuration of middle portion 88 of spring 90 biases that portion 88 away from the oppositely arcing curvilinear wall 44. It is also noted that the junctures 92, 94 between bridging portion 88 and respective bolt-supporting arms 84, 86 are positioned adjacent wall 44, but are spaced-apart from side walls 58, 60 when spring 90 is in the at-rest configuration.

Spring 90, at the center of bridging portion 88 resides within slot 96 in end portion 98 of traveller 100. End portion 98 extends upwardly in the normal operating configuration of dryer 10 as shown in FIG. 1 within the region defined by walls 42, 44. Traveller 100 extends into pivotal portion 20 of head support element 18 adjacent upper rear wall 28, and near the lower end 102 thereof includes an integral connecting portion 104 for connecting controlbutton 36 to traveller 100. Control button 36 is relatively large and resides against the outer face 108 of rear wall 38 completely covering pas sageway 110 in rear wall 38 through which connector 104 extends, regardless of the operating position of button 36. It is noted that end portion 98 and the rest of traveller 100 is dimensioned to pass through opening 110 during assembly, and is easily positioned in its operating position. During assembly, spring 90, with bolts 84, 86 secured thereto, is placed in the position shown in FIG. 2, and bridging portion 88 and slot 96 are aligned and bridging portion 88 is inserted in slot 96. It will be appreciated that traveller 100 is necessarily moving forward at end 98, that is, in the direction towards the opening of slot 96, and that the path is somewhat arcuate, and that it is necessary to twist spring 90 slightly before traveller 100 could be inserted around or separated from spring 90. This helps to secure traveller 100 in position on spring 90.

In the preferred embodiment, the dimensioning of the elements, and the configuration of spring 90 is such that, immediately prior to the insertion of portion 88 of spring 90 into slot 96, middle portion 88 would be at a position just slightly higher than the position illustrated in FIG. 2. Thus, although the configuration of spring 90 is substantially at rest as shown in FIG. 2, at least some slight biasing or tensioning towards the locking configuration remains.

OPERATION When the dryer is in the operating configuration shown in FIG. 1, openings 80, 82 in walls 58, 60 are aligned with recesses 66, 68, permitting bolts 62, 64 to pass into recesses 66, 68, thus immobilizing head 28. To adjust the locking mechanism 32 to the release configuration, operating button 36 is moved downwardly as shown in FIG. 3 by the arrow, moving the position of spring 90 from the position indicated by solid lines to that position indicated by broken lines. It is apparent that, in this configuration, end portion 98 of 5 traveller 100 is positioned adjacent wall 44 which thereby limits its downward motion, and spring 90, retained in slot 96 of end 98 of traveller 100 is also moved to the position adjacent wall 44. The acuteangled juncture between bridging portion 88 and boltsupporting arms 88, 86, due to the stiffly resilient character of spring 90, retains substantially the same angle therebetween during the movement downwardly of middle bridging portion 88 of spring 90. It is further noted that junctions 92, 94 butt against wall 44 from the onset, preventing the movement of bolt-supporting arms 84, 86 in the direction of movement of traveller .100. It is further noted that traveller 100 moves in a direction which is along a line generally transverse of the stantially perpendicular to and intersecting the line passing through bolts 62, 64 when they are in the locked configuration.

Since the angle between bolt support arms 84, 86 and bridging portion 88 at the respective junctures 92, 94, respectively, remain substantially constant, boltsupport arms 84, 86 pivot around junctures 92, 94, respectively, and'thereby withdrawn respective bolts 62, 64 from respective recesses 66, 68. This provides the releasef configuration indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 2.

It is apparent that, in accordance with the present invention, the manual control button 36 provides a single finger control for simultaneously releasing the locking bolts on both sides of head support element 18. It is also apparent that the locking mechanism 62 consists,

essentially, of two moving parts, namely, the traveller 100 and the spring 90 to which the bolts are attached.

Nonetheless, upon further analysis, it will be appreciated that the apparant simplicity of the two moving parts 90, 100 is the result of an ingeniously merged system of more complex elements. For example, it will be appreciated that respective bolt-support arms 84, 86, respective junctures 92, 94, and respective adjacent portions 112, 114 of bridging portion 88 of spring 90 constitute a pair of bell cranks 122, 124 which are pivotally retained within head support assembly 18. Spring 90, although giving the impression of being a floating element not secured within head support assembly 18 by pivot pins at fulcrums 92, 94, is nonetheless movably retained in proper operating position as a result of the residence of mid-portion 88 in slot 96, the abuttment of juncture regions 92, 94 against outer wall 44, the proximity of arms 84, 86 to respective side walls 58, 60 and as a consequence of the positioning of bolts 62, 64 within openings 80, 82. In this regard, it is noted that when bolts 80, 82 are in the release position shown by the broken lines in FIG. 2, bolts 62, 64 still reside within walls 58, 60 and, thus, assist in maintaining spring 90 in operating position. Movement of arms 84, 86 in the direction transverse to the elongated direction of bolts 62, 64 generally away from operator controlled actuator button 36 does not take place because of the fact that respective junctures 92, 94 are biased downwardly against wall 42, especially when traveller 100 is in the release position. Thus, flexible mid-portion 88 serves many fucntions, for example, as a common bell crank position controller, as respective arms of the respective bolt-carrying bell crank, as a spacer for maintaining the respective bell cranks in proper spacedapart operating configuration and alignment, and as a part of the stop-means for restricting the movement of spring in a direction transverse of the elongated dimension of bolts 62, 64.

In spite of the complex functional relationships and multi-functional contribution of various portions of the deceptively simple preferred locking mechanism of the present invention, the mechanism provides an extremely simplified physical structure providing economy of parts, economy and simplicity of assembly, and reliability in operation. Moreover, even a user with relatively small hands will simultaneously retract both the locking bolts upon movement of the single operatorcontrolled actuator button 36. This provides instantaneous release of head assembly 28 at both sides of head support assembly 18, thereby maintaining uniform distribution of gravity-induced and other pivoting forces in the region of hinge 30 and eliminating the twisting or wrenching associated with heretofore available separately actuated multiple bolt dryer head locking mechanisms.

We claim:

1. A portable hair dryer having a base; a head support assembly; and a head assembly pivotally mounted on said head support assembly; locking means for locking said head assembly against pivotal movement when said head assembly is in a desired operating configuration; said locking means including a pair of oppositely extending movably mounted bolts passing between aligned bolt-receivingorifices in said head assembly and said head support assembly; control means for simultaneously moving said bolts between a locked" and a release position, said control means being responsive to movement of a single operator controlled actuator.

2. The dryer of claim 1 including bell crank means wherein each of the respective bolts is fixed to a respective first arm of a bell crank, and wherein a second arm of each respective bell crank is secured to a single operator controlled actuator. I

3. The dryer of claim 2 wherein said bell crank means includes a pair of bell cranks pivotally supported in said head support assembly.

4. A hair dryer having a head assembly, and a head support assembly, said head assembly being pivotally mounted on said head support assembly and comprising a rigid hood shaped for. receiving a portion of the head of the user therein, said hood having an air distribution plenum, said head support being hollow and having a first wall thereof pivotally attached to an adjacent inner wall of said plenum, said head support member having a second wall opposite said first wall, said second wall being positioned closely adjacent the outer wall of said hood plenum, said head and said hood plenum having closely positioned adjacent surfaces defining an air conveying passage therebetween when said head assembly is in a desired operating position; pivot means for pivotally mounting said head on said head support element wherein said head is pivotal about a horizontal axis; said head support member having parallel oppositely facing surfaces at either side thereof, and said head member having a pair of oppositely facing parallel surfaces positioned closely adjacent to respective side surfaces of said head support element, wherein adjacent opposing surfaces have bolt receiving openings therein which are positioned in alignment with each other when said head element is in said desired position; each of said respective bolts extending through its respective side wall of said head support element; bolt control means including bolt support members comprising respective arms to which respective bolts are attached, each of said arms extending along inner surfaces of said respective side walls along a line which extends transversely to the line of movement of the bolt in a second direction, said bolt control means also including an integral bridging portion extending between a lower extreme of said respective arms, said arms and said bridging portions being of integral construction of stiffly resilient flexible material, said bridging portion being dimensioned to permit flexual movement in said second direction; single operator controlled means for flexing said bridging portion at a midportion thereof, said operator controlled flexing means including a thumb tab portion extending through the wall of said head support element.

5. The hair dryer of claim 4 wherein the head support element extends in a horizontally biased direction when in operating configuration, and in which the end thereof adjacent said head element turns sharply upwardly for mating connection to said head element; wherein said arms and the bridging portion are positioned at an acute angle therebetween, wherein the point of the acute angle is positioned against an outer wall of the head support element which is closely adjacent to the outer wall of the head plenum; wherein the operator controlled means includes a finger tab, a traveller fixed to said finger tab, said traveller extending along the wall of the head support element element adjacent said finger tab, and having an end portion thereof which is directed transversely with respect to the traveller in the direction of said angled portion, and wherein the end portion of the traveller includes a slot therein for receiving a mid-portion ofsaid bridging portion therein, said upwardly extending portion extending a sufficient distance to engage said outer wall portion thereby limiting the movement of the traveller in the second direction.

6. A hair dryer having a head assembly, and a head support assembly, said head being pivotally mounted on said head support assembly and comprising means for receiving a portion of the head of the user therein, said head having an air distribution plenum, said head support being hollow and having a first wall thereof pivotally attached to an adjacent inner wall of said plenum, said head support member having a second wall opposite said first wall, said second wall being positioned closely adjacent the outer wall of said head plenum, said head and said plenum having closely positioned adjacent surfaces defining an air conveying passage therebetween when said head is in a desired operating position; pivot means for pivotally mounting said head on said head support element wherein said head is pivotal about a horizontal axis, said head assembly and said head support each having a respective pair of oppositely facing parallel surfaces wherein said surfaces of one of said members are closely adjacent oppositely corresponding respective surfaces of the other of said assemblies; said surfaces moving in arcuate parallel paths with respect to each other during said pivotal movement of said head, each of said surfaces having bolt receiving openings thereon positioned in alignment with each other when said head is in said desired position; detent means including respective bolts movably mounted for passing through both of the respective aligned openings, said bolts being movably mounted for movement generally in a direction parallel said horizontal pivotal axis, said detent means including bolt support means comprising respective arms thereof to which respective bolts are attached and which extend generally transversely to the axis of movement of the respective bolts in a second direction, said bolt support means also including respective bridging portions thereof fixed to said respective arms, means for maintaining each of said arms at a substantially constant angle with respect to its respective bridging portion, single operator control means for simultaneously moving said midportions of said respective bridging portions back and forth a limited predetermined distance along a line extending in said second direction; stop means for restraining said arms from movement in said second direction wherein said arms automatically pivot at respective points of contact with said stop means, when said mid-portions are moved; wherein the length of said respective arms is sufficient to develop sufficient movement at that point thereon to which the bolts are attached, to move said respective bolts inwardly towards each other through a predetermined distance during the movement of said bridging portion, the latter distance being sufficient to move said bolts between a locking position and a release position; and biasing means for biasing said bolts towards said locked postion.

7. An apparatus for latching a pivotal member in a desired position on a support member comprising: means for pivotally attaching said pivotal member to said support member, wherein said pivotal member is pivoted about an axis extending in a first direction, each of said members having a respective pair of oppositely facing parallel surfaces wherein said surfaces of one of said members is closely adjacent an opposite corresponding respective surface of the other member, said surfaces moving in an arcuate path with respect to each other during said pivotal movement of said pivotal element; each of said adjacent surfaces having respective bolt-receiving openings therein, said openings being positioned in alignment with each other when said pivotal member is in said desired position; detent means including respective bolts movably mounted for passing through the respective aligned openings, said bolts being movably mounted for movement generally along a line parallel to said first direction; said detent means also including bolt support means comprising respective arms thereof to which respective bolts are attached, and whch arms extend transversely to the general line of movement of the bolts in a second direction, said bolt support means also including respective bridging portions thereof to which respective arms are secured, and means for maintaining said respective arms at a substantially constant angle with respect to said respective bridging portion; single operator control means for simultaneously moving a mid-portion of each of said bridging portions back and forth through a limited predetermined distance along a line extending in said second direction; stop means for restraining each of said arms from movement in said second direction wherein said arms automatically pivot at respective points of contact with said stop means when said during movement of said bridging portion, the latter predetermined distance being sufficient to move each of said bolts between a locking position and a release position; and biasing means for urging said bolts towards said locked position.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3.79l,O +5 Dated Februarv 12, 197

Inventor(s) Earle H. Landis, et a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

column 1, line 62, insert support after "head" column 2, line :26, "thum" should be thumb column LI, line 11, "juncure" should be juncture column 5, line 15, "junctions" should be junctures column 6, line 1, "fucntions" should be functions column 7, line 35, omit "element" (second occurrence) column '7 line 61, insert assembly after "support" column 8, line 5A, "whch" should be which Signed and sealed this 10th day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCUY M, GIBSON, JR. C.w MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-1050 (IO-69) USCOMM-DC 603764 69 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1 I989 0-!66-334, 

1. A portable hair dryer having a base; a head support assembly; and a head assembly pivotally mounted on said head support assembly; locking means for locking said head assembly against pivotal movement when said head assembly is in a desired operating configuration; said locking means including a pair of oppositely extending movably mounted bolts passing between aligned bolt-receiving orifices in said head assembly and said head supporT assembly; control means for simultaneously moving said bolts between a ''''locked'''' and a ''''release'''' position, said control means being responsive to movement of a single operator controlled actuator.
 2. The dryer of claim 1 including bell crank means wherein each of the respective bolts is fixed to a respective first arm of a bell crank, and wherein a second arm of each respective bell crank is secured to a single operator controlled actuator.
 3. The dryer of claim 2 wherein said bell crank means includes a pair of bell cranks pivotally supported in said head support assembly.
 4. A hair dryer having a head assembly, and a head support assembly, said head assembly being pivotally mounted on said head support assembly and comprising a rigid hood shaped for receiving a portion of the head of the user therein, said hood having an air distribution plenum, said head support being hollow and having a first wall thereof pivotally attached to an adjacent inner wall of said plenum, said head support member having a second wall opposite said first wall, said second wall being positioned closely adjacent the outer wall of said hood plenum, said head and said hood plenum having closely positioned adjacent surfaces defining an air conveying passage therebetween when said head assembly is in a desired operating position; pivot means for pivotally mounting said head on said head support element wherein said head is pivotal about a horizontal axis; said head support member having parallel oppositely facing surfaces at either side thereof, and said head member having a pair of oppositely facing parallel surfaces positioned closely adjacent to respective side surfaces of said head support element, wherein adjacent opposing surfaces have bolt receiving openings therein which are positioned in alignment with each other when said head element is in said desired position; each of said respective bolts extending through its respective side wall of said head support element; bolt control means including bolt support members comprising respective arms to which respective bolts are attached, each of said arms extending along inner surfaces of said respective side walls along a line which extends transversely to the line of movement of the bolt in a second direction, said bolt control means also including an integral bridging portion extending between a lower extreme of said respective arms, said arms and said bridging portions being of integral construction of stiffly resilient flexible material, said bridging portion being dimensioned to permit flexual movement in said second direction; single operator controlled means for flexing said bridging portion at a mid-portion thereof, said operator controlled flexing means including a thumb tab portion extending through the wall of said head support element.
 5. The hair dryer of claim 4 wherein the head support element extends in a horizontally biased direction when in operating configuration, and in which the end thereof adjacent said head element turns sharply upwardly for mating connection to said head element; wherein said arms and the bridging portion are positioned at an acute angle therebetween, wherein the point of the acute angle is positioned against an outer wall of the head support element which is closely adjacent to the outer wall of the head plenum; wherein the operator controlled means includes a finger tab, a traveller fixed to said finger tab, said traveller extending along the wall of the head support element element adjacent said finger tab, and having an end portion thereof which is directed transversely with respect to the traveller in the direction of said angled portion, and wherein the end portion of the traveller includes a slot therein for receiving a mid-portion of said bridging portion therein, said upwardly extending portion extending a sufficient distance to engage said outer wall portion thereby limiting the movement of the traveller in the second direction.
 6. A hair dryer having a head assembly, and a head support assembly, said head being pivotally mounted on said head support assembly and comprising means for receiving a portion of the head of the user therein, said head having an air distribution plenum, said head support being hollow and having a first wall thereof pivotally attached to an adjacent inner wall of said plenum, said head support member having a second wall opposite said first wall, said second wall being positioned closely adjacent the outer wall of said head plenum, said head and said plenum having closely positioned adjacent surfaces defining an air conveying passage therebetween when said head is in a desired operating position; pivot means for pivotally mounting said head on said head support element wherein said head is pivotal about a horizontal axis, said head assembly and said head support each having a respective pair of oppositely facing parallel surfaces wherein said surfaces of one of said members are closely adjacent oppositely corresponding respective surfaces of the other of said assemblies; said surfaces moving in arcuate parallel paths with respect to each other during said pivotal movement of said head, each of said surfaces having bolt receiving openings thereon positioned in alignment with each other when said head is in said desired position; detent means including respective bolts movably mounted for passing through both of the respective aligned openings, said bolts being movably mounted for movement generally in a direction parallel said horizontal pivotal axis, said detent means including bolt support means comprising respective arms thereof to which respective bolts are attached and which extend generally transversely to the axis of movement of the respective bolts in a second direction, said bolt support means also including respective bridging portions thereof fixed to said respective arms, means for maintaining each of said arms at a substantially constant angle with respect to its respective bridging portion, single operator control means for simultaneously moving said midportions of said respective bridging portions back and forth a limited predetermined distance along a line extending in said second direction; stop means for restraining said arms from movement in said second direction wherein said arms automatically pivot at respective points of contact with said stop means, when said mid-portions are moved; wherein the length of said respective arms is sufficient to develop sufficient movement at that point thereon to which the bolts are attached, to move said respective bolts inwardly towards each other through a predetermined distance during the movement of said bridging portion, the latter distance being sufficient to move said bolts between a locking position and a release position; and biasing means for biasing said bolts towards said locked postion.
 7. An apparatus for latching a pivotal member in a desired position on a support member comprising: means for pivotally attaching said pivotal member to said support member, wherein said pivotal member is pivoted about an axis extending in a first direction, each of said members having a respective pair of oppositely facing parallel surfaces wherein said surfaces of one of said members is closely adjacent an opposite corresponding respective surface of the other member, said surfaces moving in an arcuate path with respect to each other during said pivotal movement of said pivotal element; each of said adjacent surfaces having respective bolt-receiving openings therein, said openings being positioned in alignment with each other when said pivotal member is in said desired position; detent means including respective bolts movably mounted for passing through the respective aligned openings, said bolts being movably mounted for movement generally along a line parallel to said first direction; said detent means also including bolt support means comprising respective arms thereof to which respective bolts are attached, and whch arms extend transversely to the general line oF movement of the bolts in a second direction, said bolt support means also including respective bridging portions thereof to which respective arms are secured, and means for maintaining said respective arms at a substantially constant angle with respect to said respective bridging portion; single operator control means for simultaneously moving a mid-portion of each of said bridging portions back and forth through a limited predetermined distance along a line extending in said second direction; stop means for restraining each of said arms from movement in said second direction wherein said arms automatically pivot at respective points of contact with said stop means when said mid-portion is moved in said second direction; wherein the length of said arms is sufficient to develop sufficient movement at the point thereon at which said bolts are attached thereto to move said respective bolts inwardly and generally along said line in said first direction towards each other through a predetermined distance during movement of said bridging portion, the latter predetermined distance being sufficient to move each of said bolts between a locking position and a release position; and biasing means for urging said bolts towards said locked position. 